downwinders

What the heck is a downwinder? This was the question I had when first hearing of SUP downwind surfing, I heard rumors it was endless surfing in uncrowded waves and that was enough for me to give it a go.

After seeing this video with the cross stepping and turning I knew the rumors were true. At the same time my first downwind attempt was mostly paddling, struggling to balance, and a small very small taste of a very short ride on a tiny little bump of a wave. I certainly wasn’t hooked or stoked to do it again soon.

Over the next few years more videos popped up on the internet along with more downwind SUP boards and how to websites. Moving to Alameda we discovered there is a downwind run in our backyard, and after a run or two I had a real taste of catching lots of waves. Soon I experienced for myself how fun downwinding is and now we are hooked and stoked.

I can write all day about how amazing downwinders are, I suspect video is a better way to show what downwinding is, so below is a collection of the best downwind videos I have seen.

A new next level of Downwinding – with a foil on a shortboard, truly mind blowing: